College Republicans miffed by stalled campus guns bill

A bill to allow concealed handguns on campus that was motoring through the Texas Legislature sputtered in the Senate last week, angering Texas College Republicans who made it their top legislative priority this session.

In a press release, the TCR blamed state Sen. Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, for gumming up the works. Ogden is the only Senate Republican who will not vote for the bill to get a hearing on the Senate floor, a reversal of his earlier position.

In a hearing last week, Ogden said most of his constituents who live or work on college campuses are against the bill.

“The people who are for this bill are only on campus occasionally if at all,” Ogden said. “The ones who are opposed are going to be the most impacted. If the contention is that this bill will somehow make it safer to be on a college campus, I am not sure that contention can survive scrutiny.”

The bill needs a two-thirds majority, or 21 votes, before it can be heard. The bill’s author, state Sen. Jef Wentworth, R-San Antonio, has 18 Republicans and two Democrats on his side. Ogden is the holdout.

“When you are the only person stopping something that everyone else in your party is supporting, it is time to reconsider your position,” said Steve Lettunich, TCR state chairman.